BAIL ESTREATED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24956, 27 July 1944, Page 6

BAIL ESTREATED

A MISSING ACCUSED CLOTHING ON RIVER BANK (0.C.) HAMILTON, "Wednesday When Neil Walter Pearce did not appear for trial before the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in Hamilton today the Crown solicitor, Mr H. T. Gillies, said he had been informed by Superintendent G. B. Edwards, of the Hamilton police, that articles of clothing marked so as to identify them with Pearce had been found on the bank of the Waikato River at Hamilton yesterday. Mr Gillies said it was presumed that Pearce had made a pretence of suicide.

The Chief Justice: We need not go into that.

Mr Gillies: If I were required to sign a certificate acknowledging death I would need to have more evidence than that.

At Mr Gillies' request the Chief Justice ordered estreatinent of bail, which had been fixed at £25. His Honor asked Mr Gillies if the Court had the money and on being answered yes he remarked that it was not often so fortunate as that.

A warrant was issued by the Chief Justice for the arrest of Pearce when he did not appear for trial yesterday. Accused was charged with the theft of a vacuum cleaner at Frankton on February 4.

BLOCK SUBSCRIPTION FARMERS' UNION MEMBERS (0.C.) WHANGAREI, Wednesday Support for the Albertland Dairy Company's resolution regarding the alteration of the articles of association of the company to enable the company to make a block payment of subscriptions to the Farmers' Union for all suppliers was given at a meeting of the Whangarei sub-provincial executive of the union today. It was decided to take steps to institute a Dominion-wide campaign requesting dairy companies to pass similar resolutions. It was stated that steps nre now being taken to secure the passing of such a resolution by the annual meeting of tlie Whangarei Dairy Company. MENTAL HOSPITALS SERVICEMEN AND CIVILIANS (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday Figures showing the number of servicemen admitted to mental hospitals suffering from psychiatric disorders are given in the annual report on the mental hospitals of the Dominion, presented in the House of Representatives today. The position from the beginning of hostilities t-o the end of last year is as follows:—Admitted after overseas service, 110; discharged recovered, 49; discharged not recovered, 13; died, 2; remaining, 46. Admitted from camps, etc., in New Zealand, 127; discharged recovered, 59; discharged not recovered. 17. died, 5; remaining. 4G. The report states that exaggerated reports were heard occasionally as to the number of servicemen admitted to mental hospitals. The numbers given were not high and no doubt a largn percentage of those remaining would have recovered before the report was printed. The total number of mental hospital patients at December 31, 1943, was 4376 males and 3746 females, a total of 8122. The report states that, arising from wartime conditions, the department had experienced a shortage of ( female staff which had rendered it almost impossible to maintain the high standard of care and supervision which psychiatric patients required. The extra work and the_ inability to have " leave at regular periods had imposed on the nurses a burden which had taxed their health, their patience and their loyalty. The Director-General of Mental" Hospitals, Dr T. G. Grav, stated that he could not speak too highly of the way in which the big majority of the staff had measured up to their duty in this regard. The senior officers, matrons, head attendants and others had loyally accepted added anxieties and responsibilities to a degree which merited the highest praise.

GALLIPOLI VETERANS A decision to hold a "father and son" evening toward the end of September was reached at the annual meeting of the Gallipoli Association last .night. Members were invited to bring with them sons returned from the present war or other returned personnel. Greetings and best, wishes were extended to the former commanding officers of Gallipoli troops and to the officers comI manding the Second N.Z.E.F, in the Middle East and the Pacific. The following officers were elected:—Patron, Major-General Sir Andrew Russell; president, Mr H. M. Clark; vice-president, Mr H. Shaw; honorary secretary, Mr J. H. West; honorary treasurer, Mr H. 0. Culpan; honorary auditor, Mr L. N. Koss; honorary solicitor, LieutenantColonel T. H. Dawson; honorary cellarman, Mr S. W. Jonson; executive committee,' Messrs H. S. Church, R. D. Cowie, G. Fors.vtli, G. IT. Forsythe, E. Nelson, C. W. O'Hurn, A M. Smith. A. C. Thompson and C. W Trewick. PROBATION FOR ASSAULT (0.C.) HAMILTON, Wednesday "The probation officer will talk to you like the proverbial Dutch uncle," said the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in Hamilton today, when Dick Kongo, aged 22, a Maori labourer, was found guilty of assaulting a Chinese, Son Wing, at llukuhia, on July 2. Accused was admitted to probation for 12 months, and was ordered to pay £lO costs.